


An Internet Hug From You

by AgentMint



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Background Beauregard/Yasha, Developing Relationship, Eventual Romance, F/M, Fluff, POV Jester Lavorre, Yes this is what you think it is, and they were zoommates, partially a chatfic, so many zoom calls, the pandemic is implied but not discussed and no one gets sick, this is a self isolation au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-16 05:35:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29571144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgentMint/pseuds/AgentMint
Summary: It is 2020 and COVID-19 has made all student groups scramble to adjust their programming to fit the virtual school year. Caleb is recruited by Beau to fill a gap on her organization’s exec team, and he reluctantly agrees, not expecting to really get much out of it himself. Jester is starved for social interaction and applies to be on the exec team of an organization that doesn’t have anything to do with her major, specifically because she wants to meet new people and to have something productive that isn’t directly tied to school in her life.The two form a connection.
Relationships: Jester Lavorre/Caleb Widogast
Comments: 25
Kudos: 60





	1. You came forward and looked me in the eye

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this ages ago when this concept was still funky and fresh but it just sat there for months without getting worked on, so I finally figured I'd just post the first chapter to get it out before the 1-year anniversary of the initial lockdown... 
> 
> In a different universe I would have drawn this out into a longer slow burn with better "show don't tell" and used fun multimedia work skins, but instead you're getting this. Enjoy!?

“But why me?” Caleb leaned back on his couch and used the free hand that wasn’t holding his phone to give Frumpkin a pet as he walked across Caleb’s lap.

“I don’t have anyone else to ask!”

“Oh yes that makes me feel so much better,” said Caleb sarcastically. He raised an eyebrow even though he knew Beau couldn’t see him.

“Oh, come on, dude, you know I don’t mean it that way. You’re great with bookkeeping and writing stuff like all those sponsorship applications.” Beau ignored Caleb’s noise of skepticism. “And you’re not bad with talking to sponsors if needed either, don’t lie to me. You’re real good at writing polite but pushy emails.”

“That doesn’t mean I enjoy it.” Frumpkin walked back over to Caleb and lay down, so Caleb dug his fingers through Frumpkin’s fur, enjoying the texture and warmth.

“But it wouldn’t even be a heavy time commitment! And you aren’t doing any other extra-curriculars this year so you could use a boost to your resume anyway. You can’t get into grad school with your marks alone.” Beau’s voice was unconvincing to them both. Caleb elected to not point out that being the VP Finance of the Cobalt Soul Zadash University Student Branch in his final year of undergrad would do very little for his career. Caleb knew that Beau knew that Caleb’s summer research credentials were more than enough to secure him acceptances to the top direct-entry Physics PhD programs in Exandria. 

“Don’t you have people with more experience in your organization?”

“No, that’s the whole point! Everyone from last year either graduated or they didn’t want to participate because of the whole online thing. We only got a couple applicants and they were all sketchy. And I’d rather have you, someone I trust, over a random person I don’t know even if they have relevant experience.”

Caleb sighed loudly, making sure Beau could hear. “Fine, Beauregard. But you owe me.”

“Yessss! Thanks man! I really appreciate it. I promise you won’t hate it. And maybe you’ll even enjoy it!”

“Maybe.”

* * *

June 11, 2020 9:16 PM

 **From:** [president@cszu.org](mailto:president@cszu.org)

 **Subject:** **Welcome to CSZU**

Hey nerds,

Welcome to the Exec Team for CSZU 2020-2021! I’m excited to work with all of you this coming year. This year is going to look different than usual, but I know we can still make it good! Some housekeeping:

  1. Make sure to join the Slack using the invite emails that will go out right after this one. We’ll be using that as our main method of communication.
  2. Save the Google Drive folder and fill out the contact info spreadsheet linked in #general
  3. Set up your CSZU email by following [these instructions]
  4. Vote for the time for our first Town Hall by filling out this when2meet by the end of the weekend: <https://www.when2meet.com/?39860482-NqqDm>



Best,

**Beauregard Lionett (she/her)**  
President  
Cobalt Soul Zadash University Student Chapter (CSZU)

* * *

**#general**

**Jester Lavorre** 9:24 PM  
Hey everyone!!!

I’m so excited to meet you all!!!

I’m Jester (she/her), I’m a 3rd year English student, and I’m this year’s VP Marketing!! This is my first year in CSZU, but I attended some of the detective game events last year and I think they’re super fun for everyone even without any background knowledge (like me!). Follow me on twt and ig @jesterlilteef (it’s a pun on ‘just a little tiefling’, you know >:P)

Oh and follow us at @cobaltsoulzu and on fb - facebook.com/CobaltSoulZU obviously!

 **Caleb Widogast** 9:32 PM  
Hello, my name is Caleb Widogast (he/him). I am in 4th Year and I am studying Physics and History. I am the VP Finance for this year.

 **Jester Lavorre** 9:34 PM  
OMG Hi Caleb!!! Nice to meet you!! What’s your social media?? I want to put together an “intro to CSZU exec” post!

 **Caleb Widogast** 9:35 PM  
I do not use Twitter or Instagram. Or any social media really.

 **Jester Lavorre** 9:36 PM  
WHAT

I mean that’s totally up to you but wow ok

 **Beauregard Lionett** 9:38 PM  
Hi Jester, Caleb. Wow you guys are fast. I was just going to say to everyone, feel free to introduce yourselves here, but keep longer convos in #random so this doesn’t get clogged. I’m Beauregard (she/her), but you can call me Beau. I’m a fourth year history/IR double major and I’m the President of CSZU this year. I’m on twt/ig @flurryofbeaus

@/everyone coming in - See the pinned messages in this channel for the links to the Google Drive folder and Action Items before our first team meeting (<https://www.when2meet.com/?39860482-NqqDm>)

And lol, Jester, don’t expect to get more than that out of Caleb, he’s a hermit and is only here because I blackmailed him (jk jk he loves me)

 **Jester Lavorre** 9:46 PM  
*squinty eyes* interesting…

 **Caleb Widogast** 9:51 PM  
Beauregard, don’t make me regret this.

* * *

Jester nervously opened and closed a couple tabs before deciding to give up and enter the Zoom call early. It’s not like she could do anything in the next couple of minutes anyway, and she was already ready so she might as well. She didn’t want to appear too keen, but 8 minutes before the scheduled start time isn’t too keen, is it? Anyway, that ship probably sailed with how much she had spammed the Slack leading up to this. It’s not that she was lonely, not at all, but the fact of the matter was that she didn’t leave Zadash and go home the way her roommate Calianna did, and her friends didn’t have time to video call more than once every couple of weeks, so even though all of their group chats were very active, Jester Lavorre was feeling a strong yearning for more face-to-face communication without masks on. It didn’t matter that this was technically a work call for a student organization, she already knew that their weekly check-ins would help fill that void. By the Traveler, if she could make her team members laugh once during this meeting, and see their joy, she would already be satisfied.

The call loaded and she checked her camera to make sure everything was in place. She liked to switch up the main feature on the wall behind her, and today’s was a landscape painting she had just completed last week of the beach in Nicodranas. She was pretty proud of it, and she liked having the connection to her Mama even though she was miles away. She frowned for a second, imagining what it would have been like if she’d gone home where she could see Mama and Bluude every day, but then she remembered home would have meant going back to spending all her time in her childhood bedroom, the way she had growing up, and well, yeah no, she likes it here in her spacious condo apartment. This way she gets her own space and no one to stop her from going outside to run errands just to see other people.

She clicked through and was relieved to find that she wasn’t the first person in the call. Beau, the President, was logged on but she had her mic and camera off, and was sharing a slide that said she would be back to start the meeting at 10 after the hour, and to just get settled. There was also a guy already there, with auburn hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. She didn’t recognize him from the social media stalking she had done of the team, so she deduced that he was Caleb, the VP Finance. He had a strong nose, and a cute little butt chin with some stubble. Ugh, she was starting to miss seeing people’s _noses_ and _chins_ … _get yourself together._ The guy was muted and clearly doing something else on his computer and hadn’t noticed her arrive. He seemed to be sitting on a couch in front of a plain off-white wall that had some visible pockmarks and cracks.

“You know, you should really invest in a more interesting background.”

The guy startled and quickly opened the call and unmuted himself. “A what now?” Jester noticed that he had blue eyes, almost the same blue she had used for the sky in the painting behind her.

“The stuff behind you! You could put posters or paintings or decorations on the wall that people can see in calls.”

“No, I know what ‘background’ means, yeah,” the guy said, bewildered. Oh, that was cute, he had a Zemnian accent!

“Well, yours is _boring_. You’re going to be in a lot of online meetings so it’s nice to make your background pretty. I’m just letting you know, I wouldn’t want you to give other people a bad impression.”

“Wh- I- I have only just met you.”

Oh right! “Hi! I’m Jester!”

There was a pause while he looked at her name and then his name on the display. “Hi, I’m Caleb.”

“Nice to meet you, Caleb!”

The guy just stared at her while she beamed, and Jester already felt better than she had before. Then everyone else started to join, and Beau started the meeting soon after. The guy – Caleb – did his best to avoid speaking unless directly spoken to, which was a shame. She liked his voice.

* * *

It became sort of a routine. The team agreed to start their weekly meetings at 10 after, but Caleb consistently joined on the hour exactly, and while Jester was less consistent, she found herself purposefully joining early just to get those extra minutes of social interaction.

Sometimes she would arrive before him, and has the time to figure out how to best greet him when he arrives. The first time she gleefully shouted creative obscenities at him as a greeting, he was so shocked he let out something that sounded suspiciously like a laugh, and Jester cackled with glee. Caleb’s eyes crinkled beautifully when he laughed, and she wanted to make it happen again as soon as possible.

It was mostly just her talking the entire time, but she doesn’t mind. It was nice to know that someone is listening, and he always seemed to know when to make the appropriate noises to look like he was paying attention. She doesn’t think he’s actually paying attention for real, because she knew her babbling gets annoying, but that’s ok, that’s good enough for her. From the group calls, and the Slack, she learned that Beau knows Caleb pretty well, but he’s generally serious and quiet and only ever discusses work with anyone else. But over the course of several meetings, he got used to her brand of chaos and began to relax around her, no longer flinching from her teasing. She thought she was starting to wear him down and truly become his friend.

Which is why she was so offended that it somehow takes her an entire month before she found out he has a cat.

Jester was in the middle of describing this pretty sundress with donuts on it that she saw for sale online, when suddenly a fluffy orange tabby leapt into view on Caleb’s camera, and Jester screeched. Caleb winced.

“You have a CAT?! And you never told me?! What’s his name?! Or her name?!”

Caleb had the gall slowly scritch the cat’s neck, making her wait. She swore she saw the corner of his lips lift up slightly. “ _Ja_ , this is my cat. His name is Frumpkin.”

“Aww Frumpkin!!!! Can I call him Lumpy?”

“You can call him Frumpkin.”

“I love him!!! How dare you hide him from me?”

The next week, she asked after Frumpkin, and Caleb obligingly showed her cute pictures, awkwardly holding his phone screen up to the camera.

“Hmmm I can’t see very well. I’ll just give you my number and you can text me the photos!” Jester was a bit worried Caleb would refuse, but really, she didn’t want to clog up Slack with stuff like this. It would make everything easier, obviously. He sent her a couple photos and she cooed at them all. She then returned the favour, showing him Sprinkle and photos of Nugget, who was back home with Mama.

“You should make an Instagram for Frumpkin,” she said. He frowned at her, but he doesn’t say no, so she just smiled and said, “I can give you all the social media tips! Think about it!”

Caleb foolishly gave her permission, so she started sending him cat memes and funny videos throughout the week, and realized she was a genius for cracking the code that is Caleb Widogast’s affection when he opened up further. The first time he made a joke back in response to a meme, she could barely stop grinning like a maniac all day.

“You know, you’re actually really funny, Caleb, you know that?” she said, after he did a very bad impression of Beau’s response to Frumpkin knocking over her coffee once, the next time there was a team meeting.

“Uh…haha.”

“No, seriously, why don’t you talk more?”

“I don’t do well with people.”

“You’re doing well with me!”

“That’s not- this isn’t-” And then they’re cut off by someone else joining, so she let the matter go.

* * *

In mid-August, before classes start, Caleb and Jester had to discuss sponsorship packages and setting up the website, so they scheduled a one-on-one call. For some reason, right before she joined the call, Jester realized she was feeling weirdly nervous. It made no sense, because they had logged a lot of hours on group calls by now, and a non-zero amount of time with just the two of them. Jester plastered a wide smile on her face, adjusted her hair, and joined the call.

She happily greeted Caleb, as usual, and he gave her a nod and a smile back, as usual, and suddenly her smile was totally genuine although her stomach still did a little loop-de-loop. What was she thinking? This was simply Caleb Widogast, the guy she texts daily, and talking to him was as familiar as breathing. She was probably just excited she had more time to tease him and bully him into showing her Frumpkin.

They worked out what they needed to, and then there was a moment of silence while Caleb was still looking something up on his end, and she was just watching him. She wasn’t sure if it was considered rude to stare, but it wasn’t like she had anywhere else to look. He had a little wrinkle in his brow that shows up when he’s thinking hard, and she thought it was adorable. Just as adorable as the dimple in his chin, which couldn’t be seen now that he let his beard grow out more, which was a shame. But she liked the beard on him too, it made him look more distinguished, and highlighted his pretty jawline. It was a really pretty colour too, his beard, the same deep coppery auburn as his hair, and she wished he had direct sunlight in the room where he takes video calls so she could see how it shines in the light. She bet it would look shimmery gold, the sort of effect that she hadn’t yet managed to capture with her paints. She did think she could paint his eyes though – like she noted that first day, his eyes are pretty much the exact shade of blue that she uses to paint the Nicodranas sky. She wondered if he would send her a photo for her to use for a portrait study.

She was starting to wonder if he would let her just take screenshots of him on the Zoom call, when she suddenly realizes he was staring right back at her and probably had been for a couple seconds at least. She blinked a bunch of times and tried to play it off as being totally spaced out (true) thinking about anything but him (not true), but Caleb raised his eyebrows and smiled at her, and she could feel her cheeks burn. Damn, it was unfair how charming that smile of his was.

“What were you thinking about?” Caleb’s voice was soft and kind and doesn’t help her blush at all.

“Oh, just what I might want to paint next. What about you? Got everything sorted?”

“Ja, I think the sponsorship package is good to be sent out next week; I’ll let Beau know.” He tilted his head a little. “So, did you decide what you want to paint next? What are you working on now?”

And, well, Jester couldn’t refuse an opening like that, could she? She launched into a description of her various art projects, and was surprised to find that Caleb continued to seem enraptured and asked very interesting questions that she was delighted to answer. Before she knew it, a full hour had passed.

“Holy shit, Caleb! You should have cut me off! I’m sure you have much better things to do than listen to me rant.”

And there was that soft smile again. “It’s a Sunday afternoon. What else could I be doing? I’m just as alone in my apartment as you are, and there are only so many conversations I can have with Frumpkin before he gets sick of me.”

Jester felt a strong warm sensation filling up her chest, and doesn’t know what to do. She doesn’t know the last time someone was happy to listen to her ramblings and actually pay full attention to what she was saying.

With his blessing, they transitioned into talking about weird things she’d seen people do outside and funny things her friends said in their group chats. She told him about Nicodranas and her Mama and Bluude and how her father lives here in Zadash but she’d only just found out so it would have been weird to live with him, considering he lived with like a whole bunch of other people in a house and no one there was her age. She told him about the squirrel she saw on her neighbour’s balcony one time even though she’s on the 7th floor, and she told him about that bug she saw in her bathroom that she could have sworn walked in a perfect circle around a bit of dropped toothpaste for two entire minutes.

She asked him about himself and learned practically nothing, mostly because he was really good at turning her questions back onto her, and it was difficult for her to refuse him. But she did learn about the book he was reading at the moment, and how he was working in a materials physics research lab that had just let him start in-person shifts a couple weeks ago. He explained a bit of his work and most of it went right over her head, but she enjoyed seeing him excited enough about a topic that it was as if he forgot to be awkward and was able to speak eloquently and confidently. And well, Jester thought it was pretty attractive. He explained that he had been living with a friend of his named Veth, but she moved in with her boyfriend at the start of May, so he’s been alone since then, and has barely left the apartment. They talked about where they live roughly, and discovered they live in opposite directions away from campus, at least a full 40-minute walk from each other. This somehow made Jester kind of sad, even though she knew that even the people living in the building next to hers might as well live 100 miles away for all that she was allowed to visit them.

They talked until Jester’s voice gets hoarse and she had to excuse herself to refill her water bottle. As soon as she stood up, though, she suddenly realized she was starving. Checking the time, she saw that it was way past the time she normally ate dinner.

“Oh Caleb, we should probably eat. I should let you go,” said Jester, uncharacteristically hesitant. She bit her lip.

“I…ah ja, I suppose so.” Caleb sounded just as reluctant as Jester feels, but she didn’t think she could trust her insight across the video call. It would be ridiculous to think that he also thinks that their 6-hour (SIX HOURS?!) call still felt too short. “It was very nice talking to you, Jester.” And see, that sort of line would feel awkward and stilted coming from any other person, but from Caleb it sounded genuine and courtly, and Jester felt like blushing again.

“I really like spending time with you, Caleb. You’re super fun and nice! We should totally do this again. If you’re not too busy.”

Caleb’s eyebrows rose in happy surprise, and he said, “if that is what you would like, then of course. I can always make time for you, Jester Lavorre.” The way he says her name caused a tingly feeling to bubble up from her gut, and she couldn’t stop a giddy giggle from escaping her lips.

“Next week after the team meeting? I’ll send you another zoom link.”

“I look forward to it,” Caleb said, and again the very formal phrase brought her more joy than it should have.

She waved at him, smiling broadly, and ended the meeting before she could do something ridiculous like ask him to not leave. She headed into her kitchen and opened her fridge, pulling out a bowl of fried rice leftovers to reheat. As she waited for the microwave, she couldn’t help but reflect on how her apartment felt all too empty after being filled with voices all afternoon. The microwave dinged and she took her food into the living room and turned on Netflix, just to fill the silence. She curled her legs up onto the couch and hugged her knees to her chest, allowing herself a moment to fully feel just how much she missed hugging her friends, or simply any sort of physical contact. She was still moping as she got ready for bed, but then her phone lit up with a text from none other than Caleb, and her heart leapt a little.

 **Caleb 😺:** I found that photo Veth sent me that I told you about, with that squirrel that looked like a cat. Frumpkin looks like this all the time when he sits on the back of the couch.

**Jester:** OMG LMAOOOO you’re so right!!!!! 😍 that’s so cute ahahaha

 **Jester:** too bad squirrels aren’t ginger

 **Jester:** omg imagine ginger squirrels!!!

 **Caleb 😺:** That would be very weird

 **Jester:** that made me very happy, thank you caleb

 **Caleb 😺:** I’m glad. Good night Jester.

 **Jester:** nighty night!!!!!!

Putting her phone down, she already felt better than she did 5 minutes ago. That night, Jester fell asleep thinking about sky blue eyes, golden red sunset hair, and soft glowing smiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Realistically I don't see myself writing more anytime soon even though I do have ideas. So hopefully this works as a standalone for now. Fingers crossed that I update this before virtual university stops being a thing in real life.
> 
> I wish everyone a wonderful day/week/month. Good luck to my fellow Zoom University students; we've got this!


	2. Thanks so much for a wonderful night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jester decides to host a game night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2021-3-8: ayyy so seeing that people were actually interested in this made me really want to get something out sooner rather than later, so this one is short but hopefully sweet. I for one am so desperate for fluff right now.

**Jester:** hey does everyone want to have a jackbox/games night before classes start?

 **Cali:** ooooh yess please!! I miss you all!!

 **Jester:** 😘

 **Molly:** pleaaaaaaaseee I need an excuse to get drunk

 **Jester:** since when have you needed an excuse

 **Molly:** lol true

 **Fjord:** sure, when?

 **Molly:** im free literally all the time lmao

 **Cali:** later in the evening for you should work for me, with the time difference

 **Jester:** Friday night? 9pm zadash time?

 **Fjord:** sounds good

 **Cali:** works for me!

 **Jester:** Molly, can you ask yasha to check her phone lol

 **Molly:** yeah I just banged on her door lmao

 **Yasha:** Hi, I’m very sorry but I promised my girlfriend we’d do something Friday night

 **Jester:** your WHAAAAT

 **Jester:** YAAASHHAAAAA

 **Cali:** omG congrats!!!!!!!!

 **Jester:** YASHAAAAAAA HOW DARE YOU NOT TELL US YOU GOT A GIRLFRIEND WHAAAAAAAT

 **Jester:** YASHAAA TELL US MOREEEEEE

 **Fjord:** good for you, yasha :D

 **Jester:** WAIT

 **Jester:** JUST INVITE HER TO COME

 **Jester** : SO WE CAN MEET HER

 **Jester:** I mean, unless you already had set plans

 **Jester:** BUT OMG IM SO HAPPY FOR YOU

 **Molly:** you don’t want to see them together, they’re so gross

 **Jester:** HOW DARE YOU KEEP THIS FROM ME MOLLYMAUK TEALEAF

 **Molly:** there’s no place in this apartment that’s sacred anymore other than my room

 **Jester:** you’re LIVING TOGETHER?!??!?!??!?!

 **Jester:** HOLY FUCK

 **Jester:** WHEN DID YOU START DATING

 **Yasha:** Ah, sorry for not telling you all sooner. We got together right before lockdown and then I just didn’t know how to bring it up because of everything. She only just moved in this week when we were sure this would last.

 **Jester:** awwwwwww

 **Yasha:** And yes, I could invite her on Friday. We didn’t have actual plans, and I’d like to introduce you all to her if that’s ok.

 **Jester:** of course!!!!!! I’m so mad you didn’t let us meet her sooner >:((((((

 **Cali:** yes!!

 **Jester:** so….how did you meet? 😉

 **Yasha:** we met at some martial arts classes I went to last fall, and then we kept running into each other. She’s very athletic but also extremely smart and kind and I’m trying my best to keep my cool talking about her while she looks adorable sitting on my bed doing work.

 **Jester:** 😭😭😭😭😭

 **Cali:** that’s so sweet ;____;

 **Fjord:** does this amazing girlfriend have a name?

 **Yasha:** oh her name is Beauregard Lionett but she goes by Beau

 **Jester:** AASLDKJGBALGKJBAL

 **Jester:** ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME

* * *

 **Jester:** CALEB

 **Jester:** I AM SCREAMING

 **Jester:** I AM ABSOLUTELY CRYING

 **Jester:** CAAAAAYLEBBBBBBB

 **Caleb** **😺** **:** Hello, what’s the matter?

 **Jester:** I JUST FOUND OUT ONE OF MY FRIENDS HAS BEEN DATING BEAU SINCE BEFORE LOCKDOWN AND NO ONE TOLD ME

 **Jester:** I CANNOT FUCKING BELIEVE THE NERVE

 **Jester:** I’m not actually upset by the way fyi, sorry to worry you

 **Jester:** I’m just in shock and cry laughing

 **Jester:** holy shit balls

 **Jester:** did YOU know??!?!??!

 **Caleb** **😺** **:** Oh wow, I knew Beauregard was dating someone named Yasha but I did not know you knew her, I apologise. That’s a pretty crazy coincidence.

 **Jester:** ah yeah I mean I don’t talk to yasha too too often and she’s quiet in the group chat so I guess I haven’t mentioned her by name

 **Jester:** but oh my gods

 **Jester:** this is absolutely bonkers

 **Jester:** if you start dating someone you better tell me immediately, ok?

 **Jester:** wait hold on

 **Jester:** are you dating anyone?????

 **Caleb** **😺** **:** No, I am not

 **Jester:** ok good

 **Jester:** I mean, not good good, if that’s not something you’re happy with

 **Jester:** but like good that you’re not keeping secrets from me

 **Jester:** anyway oh man oh man

 **Jester:** oh wait are you free on Friday night? Do you want to come to our game night? It’ll be Beau’s first time meeting the gang and she might feel better with more ppl she knows there

 **Jester:** you can ask veth and her boyfriend too, I’d love to meet them. And that makes 9 ppl total which isn’t bad for jackbox, we can switch around or the couples could team up

 **Jester:** oh and people will be drinking but that’s obvs optional

 **Caleb** **😺** **:** Ah that does sound fun. I can ask Veth but I should be free then. Are you sure we wouldn’t be intruding?

 **Jester:** ofc not!!!! I’m technically hosting this anyway so it’s up to me 😛 and I want you to come

 **Caleb** **😺** **:** In that case, I’ll be there

 **Jester:** yayyyyyyyyy 💖💖💖💖💖

* * *

 **Yasha:** …no?

 **Cali:** ???????? jester??????

 **Jester:** lmao oh my gods so tldr I know beau from CSZU. Remember, im on the exec team?

 **Yasha:** oh

 **Yasha:** I have to say I did not put together the dots

 **Fjord:** I was going to say, I think I recognize that name from intramurals?

 **Jester:** LOL

 **Cali:** lmaoooooooo wow small world

 **Molly:** this is hilarious

 **Jester:** anyway, would love to hang out with her on Friday. I actually also just invited three other ppl she knows if that’s ok. I’ve been meaning to introduce them to you guys anyway

 **Cali:** the more the merrier!

 **Fjord:** yeah that makes 9, which works, right?

 **Jester:** yup! There’s Caleb who’s super smart and has the most adorable cat, and his friends Veth and Yeza who I’ve never actually met but they sound cool!

 **Molly:** are any of them cute and single?

 **Jester:** mollyyyy

 **Molly:** jesterrrr

 **Jester:** veth and yeza are together and I don’t want you to scare caleb away by flirting with him, ok? He’s very shy and quiet and doesn’t normally do big social events so this is a big deal

 **Molly:** doesn’t do social events but agreed to drunk games night with strangers immediately?

 **Molly:** because you asked? 👀

 **Jester:** It’s not like that

 **Molly:** but he *is* cute and single you say?

…

 **Molly:** leaving me on read isn’t going to save you, darling

 **Molly:** but don’t worry, I won’t flirt with him

 **Molly:** unless he wants me to 😉

 **Cali** : stop being mean, Molly

 **Cali:** although….jester if you pull a yasha I’m going to fly back to zadash just to punch you

 **Jester:** omg you guys, Caleb’s a good friend, that’s all

 **Molly:** hmmmmmmmmmm

* * *

Jester kept waving at her camera as everyone else said their goodbyes and started to leave the call. She was on a high from the successful game night, and filled with love for her friends. She had laughed so hard she cried multiple times, and now she can’t stop smiling. Beau, Veth, Yeza, and Caleb mixed with her normal group perfectly, and there’s no better feeling than introducing your friends to each other and seeing them get along. Yasha and Beau looked lovesick the entire time, getting gradually more and more cuddly as they got more drunk, and Jester was so happy for them. Veth was hilarious and just as chaotic as Caleb had said, and Jester definitely felt like they would be great friends. Yeza was quiet but in the exact way that complemented Veth’s chaos, and they were scary good together at Codenames. And Caleb, well, Jester kept an eye on him the whole time, just to make sure he was still having fun of course, and was so delighted to see that he was. He had decided to drink plain whiskey by itself, and an hour in he was more loosened than she’d ever seen him, and adorably pink. Molly sent her a text that read “mhm yes, definitely cute,” which she pointedly ignored, but she had to admit she agreed. Caleb even made a dick joke during a round of Quiplash that made both Fjord and Beau choke on their drinks, and Jester had never felt more proud.

Speaking of Caleb, he was the last person on the call, and looking at the rectangle on her screen, he looked like he might have fallen asleep. She could see the top of his head, auburn hair falling messily in gentle waves across his arms where they crossed on his desk. Jester giggled and brought her microphone closer to her mouth.

“Caaaylebbbbbb,” she crooned, “wakey wakey!! You need to go to bed properly!”

Caleb groaned and raised his head. His eyes were glazed over, not as bright as they usually were when he was sober, but still equally as blue. There was a red pattern on his forehead from where it had rested on his textured sleeve, and Jester laughed.

“You look so silly, Caleb!”

Caleb blinked at her. “You…are blue,” he said, completely seriously. Even through the screen, the weight of his gaze on her made her feel dizzy, and she hadn’t had a single sip of alcohol she could blame it on. 

“Yes I am, and you are very sweet, but you need to go to bed.”

“I am not sweet. You are sweet, and blue, like a blueberry,” Caleb muttered, rubbing at his eyes before stretching out his arms above his head, and Jester hoped he was too drunk to notice her blush. 

“Go get yourself a glass of water, brush your teeth, and go to bed,” she ordered. “Actually, go and do that now. I’ll wait to make sure you don’t just pass out on the floor.”

“Ja, ja, ja.” Caleb got up and stumbled out of view, and Jester began writing down her favourite parts of the evening into her journal so she could tell her Mama later.

After a couple minutes, Caleb came back, in pajamas, and looking like he’d splashed water onto his face. He looked so open and comfortable, and that warm feeling in her chest that appeared every time Jester talked to him burned even brighter. Jester bit her lip looking at how some droplets were still sliding down his neck, over his exposed collarbone, and- “Ah, thank you, Jester.” His low voice broke her out of her reverie, but didn’t help the butterflies in her stomach. “I will go to bed now,” he said, sheepishly.

“Happy to help! Sweet dreams, Caleb!! I’ll text you tomorrow to make sure you take care of your hangover! See you the usual time on Sunday?”

Caleb winced a bit at the deluge of words, but smiled. “Yes, Sunday.”

“Good night, Caleb.” She hovered her mouse over the “End Meeting For All” button, delaying for a few extra seconds. Right before she clicked it, she heard Caleb’s voice once more, so soft she almost missed it.

“Gute Nacht.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My outline for this fic is super loosey goosey but you may have noticed I've set an expected chapter count. It's not fixed but it means I'm pretty sure this won't be much over 10k. More like a collection of small moments tied together with no plot. 
> 
> no promises on the next update, but kudos and comments might help 🥺


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